Arsenal Hold Off Brighton to Reclaim Premier League Top Spot

Arsenal started on the front foot against Brighton & Hove Albion, pressing aggressively and carving out early openings.

The breakthrough arrived in the 14th minute when the Gunners won possession high up the pitch from a Brighton goal kick. Bukayo Saka collected the ball on the wing and picked out Martin Ødegaard on the edge of the area, who struck a composed finish into the bottom-right corner.

Arsenal dominated much of the remainder of the first half, fashioning further chances through Saka, Martin Zubimendi and Leandro Trossard, but a lack of clinical finishing meant their lead remained at 1–0 going into the break.

Brighton emerged with renewed intent after half-time, but any growing momentum was swiftly halted. Less than ten minutes into the second half, a Declan Rice corner was whipped into the near post. Georginio Rutter misjudged his attempted clearance, glancing the ball into the far corner beyond Bart Verbruggen to double Arsenal’s advantage.

The visitors responded when Yasin Ayari struck the post, with the rebound falling kindly to Diego Gomez, who made no mistake to pull a goal back. From that moment, the momentum shifted, and Arsenal began to look increasingly vulnerable.

Brighton pushed for an equaliser, forcing David Raya into a stunning acrobatic save to tip Yankuba Minteh’s effort away from the top-left corner.

The victory sees Arsenal reclaim top spot in the Premier League following Manchester City’s earlier win over Nottingham Forest, while also preserving their unbeaten home record this season.

The Gunners round off 2025 with a major clash against Aston Villa, while Brighton slip to 12th and turn their attention to an upcoming fixture against West Ham United.